SRW traction versus a DRW

Maybe this guy has the answer? :B

In all seriousness Ben hit it on the money.

It all depends on the surface. Sometimes you want to dig, sometimes you want to float and all times you want to grip.

Yup...agree with Thomas and add in case no one thought of this for
their chain kit...

5 gallon plastic bucket with lid. Either the once it came with or
after market cover with a cushy top for my tender bottom...am way
older these days... :(

Bucket is a working stool and keeps the salt/slush/etc inside and
NOT on the vehicle rug

2 cans of WD40 to oil down everything going back into the bucket

Below all in their own plastic bags

Chain repair kit with extra links, chain plyers, bailing wire, BIG tie wraps

Chain tensioners. No longer use rubber bands, but truckers version with
coiled spring (about 1" in dia)

Several sets of gloves. Extra thick nitrile (blue that EMT's use)

Roll of hallway vinyl runner in case have to kneel or lay down to get
the back side. Rolled up along the inside dia so not in the way, as
not
used often

$0.99 tools from the hardware store sale table. Plyers (two, one a needle
nose, other lineman with a big wire cutter), screw drivers, etc....toss
them when they get too rusty (not often)

At home, take them all out and hose them down. Hang them to dry and
repeat another coating of WD40

thomas201 wrote:
BenK has got it right. After 30 years in the oilfield mud, sand, ice and snow. I agree with him, it depends. Also the type of ruts if any, and may heaven help you if they used rounded pea gravel on the road. And, is there a dozer or tow truck handy, when you make a mistake.

I have found 4wd and single rears to be the best. Dual rears with 4wd are not bad. Tandems with inter axel locks next (they seem to tear up easy) then single axel duals are the weakest. Lockers really help. By the way, with practice, and working in two man teams, you would be surprised just how quickly you can chain up for bad roads. Say 20 minutes to put on your coveralls, chain up, then strip off your coveralls and have a cup of coffee. I think non 4wd tucks should always have chains, and I often have chains for all four wheels when needed.

Planning is best, and a good pair of well broken in boots, is a good emergency reserve.

My dually (2wd) got stuck on wet grass too...SRW from now on if I can get away with it.

An empty DRW has LESS traction than an empty SRW. The reason? Roughly the same amount of weight over the rear tires, only twice as many tires.

A DRW loaded to capacity will have MORE traction than an SRW loaded to capacity. The reason? Twice as much weight over twice as many tires.

2WD will get "stuck on wet grass" when you run smooth road tires, don't have a locking differential, and/or have an heavy left foot. More often than not, people create their own problems by romping on the accelerator in sketchy traction situations. I can break a 4x4 loose on wet grass. All I have to do is slam it in gear and stomp on the gas, and I'll be as stuck as any 2WD that does the same thing.

If you're going to be where the traction is sketchy, run traction tires. Don't expect to be able to move in slick conditions without the weight of the trailer over the rear wheels. Make sure you've got a locking differential. For those rare times when you do get truly stuck, have a good tow strap behind the seat.

BenK has got it right. After 30 years in the oilfield mud, sand, ice and snow. I agree with him, it depends. Also the type of ruts if any, and may heaven help you if they used rounded pea gravel on the road. And, is there a dozer or tow truck handy, when you make a mistake.

I have found 4wd and single rears to be the best. Dual rears with 4wd are not bad. Tandems with inter axel locks next (they seem to tear up easy) then single axel duals are the weakest. Lockers really help. By the way, with practice, and working in two man teams, you would be surprised just how quickly you can chain up for bad roads. Say 20 minutes to put on your coveralls, chain up, then strip off your coveralls and have a cup of coffee. I think non 4wd tucks should always have chains, and I often have chains for all four wheels when needed.

Planning is best, and a good pair of well broken in boots, is a good emergency reserve.

Dry pavement...the more contact the better...

Slippery to off road...depends on what you are driving on and desire either penetration
or flotation

If still on solid pavement...do you wish to float over the water/slush/snow? or
penetrate down back to pavement?

If iced over, do NOT drive or have chains and/or studs ***AND*** go SLOW

If off road in the dirt...how deep is that dirt/gravel/etc? If not
that deep, then penetration through the mud/gravel/dirt/etc down to hard pack

If too deep, then flotation over all that stuff. Either by airing down to create
a larger 'apparent' tire dia and/or have more contact patch with wider tires...or dually

Also, a lot depends on how heavy your vehicle is. If it is very heavy, no way
will it float over that kind of stuff

Airing down for a larger apparent dia begets an apparent tire dia of over 8 FEET
and on some tires...creates a 'cup' at the bottom of the flat-spot

It all depends...

Dayle1 wrote:
Chris is correct, less weight per sq. in. of contact means less traction. Simple physics. Designers of race and high performance cars understand the physics, that is why they use active wings to increase downforce (i.e. adding weight) to prevent loss of traction rather than deploying extra tires.

If that were true, race cars would be using the thinnest tires they could get away with rather than the widest. More tire means more friction surface which means more grip.

If you are trading to an MDT give it a go but unless you have 4wd you are probably looking at paving the driveway.

Nothing worse in snow than a 2wd dually.

bfast54 wrote:

Me Again wrote:
Duals, will have less traction under those conditions, as you have less weight per sq in of tire on the ground. Chris

Nice thought
But---- not alwasys.

2 tires-- have Less ground contact - per sq inch-- than 4 tires.

All things being equal--- 4 tires will have better traction- forward and backward.
Now, throw snow into the picture--- changes it --- 2 Snow tires will always be better.

Chris is correct, less weight per sq. in. of contact means less traction. Simple physics. Designers of race and high performance cars understand the physics, that is why they use active wings to increase downforce (i.e. adding weight) to prevent loss of traction rather than deploying extra tires.